ELLESMERE Port mayor Gareth Anderson has spoken of the distress caused by a controversial YouTube video which has hit national headlines.

The Pioneer met Tory councillor Anderson on Monday following his return from holiday to clarify his position.

In the 33-second clip, which was uploaded on to YouTube under the username CaringConservatives last week but has since been removed, the 30-year-old appears to be labelling the town’s Asda shoppers as ‘mutants’.

In the video Cllr Anderson, who is on his way to a supermarket in America, is seen as saying: “My usual visits to Asda would probably be later than this... mostly to avoid the mutants who go in during the day.”

When using the term ‘mutants’ Cllr Anderson says he was referring to a group of people in their 20s who had twice verbally abused and spat at him while he was shopping at the supermarket.

He believes the footage, which was made three years ago as part of a video diary for his parents while he toured rural America, was edited and uploaded in a bid to smear his name.

Cllr Anderson, who has lived in the town since he was four years old, says people have been ‘very supportive’ of him, although the coverage has been painful for his parents.

He explained: “I’ve been on the phone a lot to them. They’ve been worrying. My mum is a perpetual worrier anyway, hence why the videos were made in the first place.

“I try not to let things get to me. Now, they can have a go at me as much as they like but to have a go at me as mayor, or the mayoralty, I think is pretty poor.

“It’s not as if this was whilst I’ve been mayor, this was three years ago. If I’d said something like this that was meant in the way they say, and while I was mayor, fair criticism.

“But it wasn’t said that way and it was three years ago.”

Cllr Anderson says he stands by his comments but regrets the reaction they’ve caused.

He explained: “What would anybody call a group of people who did that to you in public?

“Now I’m entitled, frankly, to call them what I want, I think. And I thought that was quite a polite thing to call them.

“That video had had thousands of views, including from people from round here, and no-one has ever raised a question about it until now.”

He added: “I’m very sorry if people have taken offence. At no point was it intended to offend.

“The suit I’m wearing at the moment is an Asda suit. I buy my food there most of the time. It is my shop.

“At no point was I going to refer to a whole group of people like that.”

Asked why he didn’t report the incidents to the police, Cllr Anderson replied: “This kind of thing happens a lot. Ever since I joined [The Conservative Party] when I was 16 back in 1995, which was a time when our party had a very bad reputation nationally and locally, you sort of get used to it because I have been barracked and abused on doorsteps.

“I had someone pull a gun out on me at Rivacre once. I’ve had dogs set on me, abuse in the streets sometimes, and you get called all sorts. You get used to it, it’s one of those things that happens.

“I’ve never complained about it. If you can’t cope with that kind of thing you shouldn’t be doing this.

“This is people having a pop at a local political figure, you learn to take it. For 14 years I’ve been taking it and I never thought my reaction to it would cause this.”